Eyes of the Five?

Eyes of the Nine and AOS

And so wearily Nathaniel began his journey North.  Although the council never implicated him for anything wrong they had their suspicions and he couldn't risk continuing to base his now hampered operations in Alba Mesa.  And so he trekked North, past the Tolerance of Crows and into Chrysalis, the haven in the Charred Lands that he would make.  He was soon joined by his band of misfits and the retained services of a Gaunt Summoner.  

Binding those small ones was beneath him, he would leave it to the Summoner, he needed all of his focus on his big project and on carefully assembled contracts and bindings with the clever ones.

I really like the idea of a Tzeentch force in AOS, it appeals to my sense of efficiency as the PCRC tend to vary in enthusiasm between 40k and everything else so I reckon this significantly increases the probability of playing my army in whatever system they are excited by.

Eyes of the Nine* increases that efficiency further as it will play in AOS Tzeentch and Warhammer Underworld (Shadespire) which means my one army now covers three different systems.

*Are 4/5 of them missing?

The Watchers of the Ninefold Pact

The Watchers of the Ninefold Pact

Within the South Eastern Borders of the charred lands is a region called Chrysalis.  In this region is many things that normal regions contain, towns, castles, wildlife and some day to day life.  None of it should be there though because this region is in the Charred Lands.

At the magical center of this region is a tower, whose exact location seems to change from time to time.  This glimmering tower and its surrounding land appear as a beautiful place surrounded by a verdant garden and a town.  It is the home of the watchers of the Nine fold pact*, a sect of Jethelech whose followers truly believe that they are draining him of power.  Their goal is to push back and reclaim the charred lands from the taint of death.

Is Chrysalis easy to access?  Some who seek to find it never do despite its location on the border.  Others, perhaps by intent, find it easily, almost accidently as it is possible to get to it somehow without seemingly crossing the Tolerance of Crows.  It is said to be a beautiful and seductive place and even a reasonable place to do business.

The Watchers are led by the enigmatic Nathaniel Hultz, a man who rejected the shackles and strictures of the governing wizards of Alba Mesa and some say from the celestial council itself.  A man who believes himself to be the saviour of the Charred Lands.  A man for whom the ends justify the means.

If you are unlucky enough to go looking for trouble here you might run into Shanduko, a Lord of Change who appears in many forms (battle form below).  He fights only as a last resort, he will first give you an offer that you cannot refuse.  Shankduko seems to be bound to Hultz although it is not known whether this is by force or through a deal.

*Rumour has it that the Sigmarian cult of the Celestial pact is somehow linked to them although no evidence has emerged that was not circumstantial.

The Adventures of Nathaniel Hultz: Part IX

The Ends Justify the Means

The battle had not gone well. To see a force of chaos this large so far South of the Charred Lands was unexpected - they may be here for a purpose.  Were we their purpose?  Or had we been opportunistically attacked?

The 'Emperor Karl Franz'*, the Cosmic Smite was badly damaged, lying on its side, on top of one of its mechanical horses.  The Lord of Change that had attacked them lay dead, finally dismembered by Holgars axe, Holgar, injured lying close by.  The rest of the battle continued to rage with the sounds of the copper cavalry clashing with distant horrors in and among the smoke of battle.

I had just finished despatching one of the bird mutants that had somehow got onto the carriage when suddenly from out of the smoke came another Lord of Change and I realised that I had run out of options.  It changed direction and came towards us, staff raised it started casting a spell.  I had about 30 seconds to turn the tide of battle.  Time for Plan B, a plan I had never intended on using.

I wiped the blood off my hands and then I wrenched globes off of the 'Cosmic Smite' until there were 9 left and then I stood in the middle, pulled out my tattered copy of the Doctrines of the Purple Hand' and said those 9 unholy words which caused the greater daemon to freeze.  I then uttered the 9 commanding words in the common tongue: 'Stop.  Go home, stay there until I summon you'.  The Jethelech Daemon melted away and I could feel the tide of battle turning, I was fizzing with blue and purple magic.

'What have you done...'.  coughed Holgar, spitting up blood.

Oh no, Holgar was conscious, he had seen it.  What was I to do?  'Holgar, old friend, I had no choice, please forgive me'.  '

'You always have a choice Nathaniel'.  Holgar coughed again. 'A noble death is better than this, remember whose side you are on'.

'I am truly sorry Holgar'

'If you are sorry then you will confess to the council as soon as we get back, there may be a way back'

'I can control it Holgar, I saved us, doesn't that matter?'

'Give me the book Nathaniel'

It was then that I made my fateful decision.  It wasn't meant to be this way, I was a force for good and giving this up now would not help anyone. It would not help my people or the Tallowlands.

'Give me the book Nathaniel'

I picked up one of the dismembered talons from the dead Lord of change and walked over to Holgar, I pulled him close to me and I wept as I plunged the talon into the wound in Holgars back, cradling him as he died, a look of shock and terror on his face.  I knew that his principles would trump our friendship and it could be no other way.  I would have to deal with the guilt later.

When the others arrived I explained what had happened.  Holgar had valiantly given his life and killed the Lord of Change, turning the tide of battle, Holgar would be a hero, celebrated in song.

That night and the next 8 nights I dreamed of nothing but the laughter and cackling of daemons.  The others would never know of the sacrifices I had to make to keep them safe but my plan would proceed unabated.  There was a way of cleansing at least a part of the Charred Lands and I would be its master.

*Some people mistakenly call this a Hurricanum but what do they know, Sigmar told us what it was called centuries ago and we definitely accurately recorded what he said.